Control machine for railway traffic controlling systems



J. F. M-ERKEL Jan. 31, 1939.

CONTROL MACHINE FOR RAILW AY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 16,1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l k6: ATTORNEY Jan. 31, 1939.. J. F. MERKEL ,1

CONTROL MACHINE FOR RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 16,1937 I s Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Fig.2.

ATTOR;NEY

J. F. MERKEL Jan. 31, 1939.

CONTROL MACHINE FOR RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEMS Filed OCb.- 16,1937 A 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 juillpnn nn I'IIII Patented Jan; 31, 1939 PATENTOFFICE CONTROL'MACHINE FORLRAILWAYTRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEMS 7 JosephF. Merkel, Rochester,

N. Y., assignmto General Railway Signal Company, Rochester, N. Y.

Application October 16, 1937, .Serial No. 169,436

8 Claims.

, This invention relates 'tocontrol machines for I traffic controllingsystems, and more particularly pertains to such machines for remotelycontrollingtrack switches and signals through the me- 5;; dium'of codetype communication systems.

":It "is important in constructing control machines that such machinesshall beorganized to occupy a minimumamount of space, so that allmanually operable devices are located within 101 the mostconvenientreach of 'the operator, so

thatall parts can .bereadily replaced "and inspecte'd, and so thatadditions to the machine can be :readily provided by adding new units tothe originalmachine. 7 h

: :Inviewofthe above, a control machine made upo'f several units is'provided by this invention which'ha's been organized to meetrequirements of "the above and other conditions.

' Other objects, purposes andcharacteristicffeatures "of thepresentinvention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawings, and inpartpointed out as the description progresses. I In describing theinvention in detail, reference 'will be made to the accompanyingdrawings in whi'ch simil'ar reference characters refer to correspondingparts throughout the several views andin which:

Fig. 1 is a front isometric view of a control machine constructed inaccordance 'with the 0, present invention;

Fig. 2 "is a plan view of the control machine shown :in' l -withcertainof the top'covers removed;

' Fig. 3 is a side 'elevational view of one'of the units of the controlmachine shownzin Fig. I;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical plan view showing how the independent"sections 'are provided.

' With reference to the "accompanying drawings and. particularly'Fi'gs. 1. and 4, a control 'map 140 chine is shown as having been madeup of units 7 Tiprovided with distinctiveexponents) assembled about :arectangular shelf S, which can be used as a desk, insuch a manner thatthe-control levers land buttons for the control of track switches andsignals are mounted on control panels P at the back and at'both sides ofthe shelf S within the most convenient reach of the operator.

The general organization of' the units to. form one control machine. isillustrated in' Fig. 4 as having a master unit T at the left-of theshelf typedesk S, control-units T T T and 'I' at the back of the desk,and control unit I at the U rightof the desk. Each of the control unitsis provided for controlling track switches and signals for a particulartrack layout and houses certain relays and control apparatus associatedtherewith,-:while the master unit houses certain relays andapparatus-essential for communicating control messages selected by theapparatus in each'control unit, to stations at the track layoutassociated with that control unit.

, Due to :the;particular type of construction of the 'unitsgthey can "bereadily replaced without interferingwith the structure or operation ofthe remainder of the machine, thus existing units can'be readilyreplaced by units which conform with the changes made in the tracklayout associated with those units, for example, unit T can easily beremoved and replaced by another unit.

Similar units can also be added to'the machine atxeither'end or insertedbetween any of the existingunits. If the units are added to the ends ofthe machine the end cabinets are easily 'removed and the "new unitsinserted, and if the newrunitsare'inserted between units already'assembled, for :example, between units T and T such changes can 'easilybemade and the desk lengthened or replaced to conform to the particularrequirements of practice.

The master unit and the control units are of similar -mechanicalconstruction except for the equlpmenton the control panels, therefore aconsideration of the construction of parts of various units in detail isto be considered as typical of the construction for any of theothersimilar units.

Each of the units,'for example, unit T (Fig. 3), consists of a channelshaped base 33, having secured thereto, at a front and a rear corner forone side, upright U-shap'ed supports 29 connected together by a rod atthe top. TheU-shaped supports are secured to the corners of the base insuch a manner that they will rest half on the base of that unit and halfon the base of the adjoining unit, thus furnishing a means for securingthe units together.

At-the front of each base is secured to the front U-shapedsupport apanel constructed of sheet metal, which has included in it a rectangularcontrol panel P constructed of insulating material. The back of eachunit is provided with a rectangular cover 3 (Fig. 1, unit T which isheld securely in place by fasteners 4, and above the rear cover issecured a -small rectangular sheet metal panel for completing theenclosure of the back of the unit. A sheet metal cover I2 is :providedforthe top of each unit.

A channel shaped base .member -5 having its lower edges bent outward soas to occupy a space in the channel of telescoping members it is allowedto slide longitudinally in or out of the stationary part of the unit.

On the base member 5 is mounted a housing '1 which is rectangular inshape and is constructed of sheet metal, having the back open and havingthe front enclosed by glass or suitable transparent material secured insuitable frames 8 which are slidable in a horizontal plane withinchannels secured to the front of the housing. Additional support for thehousing is provided by the channel secured to its top and slidable in ahorizontal plane within bar I 0 which is secured to the stationary partof the unit.

The relays l I are plugged into bases of insulating material such asbakelite, which are secured to supports fastened to the housing in sucha manner that the bases form a back for the relay cabinet so that therelays can be readily inspected or replaced when the windows are openand that the relays are enclosed in a dust proof enclosure when thewindows are closed.

In the top of each of the units, for example units T and T (Fig. 2), ismounted a terminal board 3! secured to the U-shaped supports for thatunit and it is readily accessible when the cover 12' is removed from thetop of the unit.

Each unit has secured to the front of that unit a control panel P whichis hinged at the bottom to allow it to swing out and in a downwardposition (for example, unit T shown in Fig. 3) to allow inspection andreplacement of electric lamps, control switches and the like.

Each unit for the control of track switches and signals (units T T and Thas a panel P constructed of suitable insulating material which hasconstructed thereon as shown for unit T for example, a miniature trackdiagram l3 with indicator lamps H! for the track sections of the tracklayout for which the unit is provided.

Control levers i5 for controlling the signals are provided below theminiature track diagram, and when the handle of the lever is in avertical position the signals associated with that lever are in theirnormal at stop position, when that lever is operated 90 degrees fromnormal to the right, signals for governing trafi'lc in a direction tothe right can be cleared, and when the lever is operated 90 degreesfrom'normal to the left, signals for governing trafilc in a direction tothe left can be cleared. Indicator lamps It are provided above thesignal control levers for indicating the direction for which signals arecleared, the lamp at the right being illuminated when a signal iscleared for traiiic to the right, and the lamps at the left beingilluminated when a signal is cleared for traflic to the left.

Below the signal control levers is located levers I? for controlling thetrack switches for the interlocked group with which the signalscontrolled by the above signal levers are associated. When the handle ofthe switch control lever is in a vertical position the associated trackswitch is caused to be operated to a normal position, and when thecontrol lever is operated to a right horizontal position the associatedtrack switch is caused to be operated to a reverse position. Includedwithin the center of the switch control levers is a normally darkindicator lamp l8 which is illuminated only when the track switch is outof correspondence with the position of that switch control lever.

A start push button I9 is located below the switch or signal levers andthe depression of that button starts the operation of the system totransmit the controls as selected by the contacts associated with thelevers above the button.

The units house control apparatus'for a selector type system forcommunicating controls to stations at track layouts in the field, such,for example, as the system disclosed in Patent No. 2,082,544, dated June1, 1937, granted to Judge et al.

In this type of communicating system different series of electricalimpulses, commonly called cycles, are selected as a result of theoperation of the control switch on the control panel, and aretransmitted to the field stations through the medium of the relays inthe master unit, the control units being essential for selecting theimpulses, and the master units being essential for transmitting theimpulses. Similarly, in a reverse order, indications are received by themaster unit, from the field stations, and are selected and indicated atthe control unit associated with the function involved. 1

Thus, in order to provide electrical controls between the master unitand each'control unit, a cable of wires is provided from the master unitto each of the control units, such, for example, as cable 35' (Fig. 2)extending from the terminal board for the master unit T to the terminalboard for the control unit T The control panel for the master unitdiffers from the control panels for the control units only in theapparatus mounted thereon, of which at the left is a control switch 20for setting the communicating system into operation to give a specialsignal for calling the maintainer, when operated to an upward position,and for setting the communicating system into operation for recheckingindications, when operated to a downward position. The grouping of theunits about the desk is particularly convenient and necessary foroperating the recheck switch, because it is also necessary to depressthe start button on the control panel of the control unit for which theindications are to be rechecked.

The control switch 2| on the control panel of the master unit at theright is used to suppress the transmission of indications from a fieldstation if such suppression is desirable, such as at times when a fieldstation improperly continues to transmit indications to the exclusion offur ther use of the communicating system, when that control switchisoperated to an upward position, and it is used when operated in adownward position to stop the transmission of controls after suchtransmission has been started by the depression of a start button.

A cycle counter 22 is locatedat the lower left-hand corner of the masterunit panel for recording the number of operations of the system, andabove it is located an indicator lamp 26 which is illuminated wheneverthe communicating part of the system is in operation.

At the front of the left wing of the control machine and adjacent to themaster unit is 'a vertical rectangular cabinet 23 constructed of sheetmetal, and having a door 24 in the front which opens outward to theleft. Within the cabinet is located a test panel 32 which is soconstructed' that it is hinged to open, outward to the right through theopening in the front on the cabinet. This particular housing arrangeviewexcept when being used, and also allows readily the replacement of partsand maintenance of the equipment.

ment allows the test panel to be closed from The test panel isconstructed. of suitablezinlsulating material and ithaslocated thereon:

meters, fuses, indicator lamps, and whatever cludes, starting-J at thetop or the: panel, a. volt.

meter, and an ammet'erwith shunt'switchestcongtrol andindicator linevariable resistors, having.- lock nuts for holding; them. in a setposition, 'fuses, cycle indicator lamps,- hand step switch: forgoverning the operation of. each:- step, and? a:

- terminal board.

A rectangular vertical sheetmetal housing similar in size and shap'etothecabin'et for the test panel is secured adjacentto the unit attherighthandend. of the shelf; housing 'provides a'section through whichcables'canextend' from the terminal boards to awire chase. in; the

xfioor, aswell as providing: an endip'anelfor com- The space betweenthe' back corners of the pleting the enclosure of the equipment;

units nearest the back-"corners of the shelf is' enclosed by a sheetmetal/panel, and a. narrow panel is-also provided between correspondingfront corners-of those units. These corner sections are constructed: ina si'milar manner: to

the construction of the stationary part or each.

unit-except that ahole M is provided in the bottom of thatsectionto'provide an: outlet for the cables to a wire chase the floor.

' metal, and the length of S is determined by the number of unitsincluded in thecontrol' maof supporting bracketswhich are secured tothell-shaped supports for the front outside corners of' the end units atthe: back of the desk by screws 36. 1 p

j Having thus described each unit in detail it f 1s. obviousthatasmanyunits as are required in practice may be assembled about the shelfS andsecured at'thegbottom'by a strip 'of angle the topby screws 28 tothe upright U shaped pieces which overlapped the sections;

In summing up some of the characteristic features of the controlmachineas provided by 0;.this invention, it will-be noted that themachine has,been made compact by utilizing all of the spacewithin the cabinet'forcontrol equipment;

7 thus allowing the installation of" machines in buildings where theavailable space for those machines is limited, all of which compactnessin no way limits accessibility of theapparatus for inspection,replacement and repair.

I "The use of the sliding relay cabinet provides a relay capacitylimited only by the depth of 'the machine, all of'which relays alongwith their wiring connections are readily accessible.

' The means provided for mounting the terminal boards for each unit issuch that, when the units are placed side by side, the terminal boardsfor the individual units form, in effect, one large terminal board allin one plane which is readily accessible along with cables extendingbetween the terminal boards for certain of the units.

The units are so arranged about thedesk that their control panels arewithin convenient reach of: the operator and that the operator can alsoreach and operate control apparatus on a numher of units simultaneously.The control panels are also arranged toopen outwardly to provideshelftype desk: S is constructed of sheet I chine; The top of" the deskis fiat with the back corners beveled to; fit the inside corner ipanels, and the sides are shaped: in the form iron 21' at the front andback; andsecured at convenient: inspection and replacement of theapparatus associated therewith.-

The test panel: i'sina convenient position to allow the operator towatch the indicator lamps from the floor; V

-The units are ofa. size and shape which can be easily-transportedthrough narrow doorways and passageways and which can be easilyassembled togeth'er to make one control machine, or I which can easilybe added to or insertedbetween other similar units from time to time asrequired in practice;

Having described a control machine constructed and arranged according tothe present invention, it' is: desired tobe understood that this form isselectedto facilitate in the disclosure of the invention ratherthanto'limit the number of forms which it may assume; and, it is to befurther understood that various modifications, adaptations andalterations may be applied to this specific form shown to meet therequirements of practice, without in any manner departing from outwardlyand downwardly, control levers and indicating lamps supported by saidpanel and movable therewith, an assemblage of relays in a cabinetslideably supported in said unit to be withd'rawnat the back t'ogiveaccess to the relays, astationary terminal board disposed" horizontallyat the-top of said unit, flexible looped wire cables interconnectingsaid terminal board with the control levers and indicating lamps on saidpane] and withthe relays in said cabinet respectively, and removablecovers for the top andback of said unit aflording access to saidterminal board and said relay cabinet respectively.

2. A'control machine for railway trafiic control systems of the codetype comprising, a single master unit housing the apparatus of the codecommunication system common to a number of switches and signals; aplurality of like control units each including a track diagram, controllevers and indicating lampsbelonging to a portion of track equipmentwith a predetermined number of track switches and associated signals; ashelf-type desk; means for detachably securing said control unitstogether side by side along the back and sides of said desk with saidmaster unit atone end, so that all are within sight and reach of anoperator at the front of the desk, a relay cabinet removably mounted insaid master unit and in each of said control units, stationary terminalboardsassociated with said master unit and each of said control units,flexible looped cables interconnecting the several relay cabinets withtheir respective terminal boards, and wires extending between saidterminal boards to provide the circuits interconnecting the relays ofsaid extending from each relay cabinet to the termidownwardly, manuallyoperable switch and signal levers for a predetermined number of switchesand associated signals supported by said panel, a miniature trackdiagram of a portion ofr track i including such predetermined number oftrack control levers and indicating lamps, and corner sections adaptedto be detachably secured to said a control units, each corner sectionbeing alsoadapted to have a control unit attached to the front thereof,whereby any desired number of control units may be arranged in a rowinterconnected by said corner sections with their attached control'unitso as to provide a general U-shape arrangement.

4. A control machine for centralized trafiic control systems of the codetype comprising, a plurality of like open sidedqunits adapted to bedetachably connected together side by side in angularly disposed rows,corner sections attachable to the sides of any one of said unitstoprovide for assembling and closing in different numbers of said units inthe angularly disposed rows, one of said units being a master unitcontaining the apparatus of the code communication system common to thevarious switch and signal lo- :cations, the other units being controlunits each including a control panel disposedvertically at the front andpivoted to swing inwardly and downwardly to the horizontal, anassemblage of relays in a cabinet slideably supportedin each unit to bewithdrawn from the back and aiford ready access to said relays, ahorizontally dis posed stationary terminal board at the top of eachunit, movable covers for the top and back of each unit to give access tothe relay cabinet and terminal board thereof, flexible wire cables nalboard of the corresponding unit, and a flexible wire cable extendingfrom the control panel to the terminal board of each control unit.

5. A control machine for traffic controlling systems for railroadscomprising, a plurality of like control units each including a controlpanel for a predetermined portion of track and housing the necessaryrelays for such portion of track, said units being secured to each otherside by side in a row by overlapping rigid supports, a rigid supportextending horizontally across the front and back of said row of units, aterminal board at the top of each unit for receiving wires extending tothe control panel and relays of that unit, and separate removable coversfor the top of each unit giving access to its terminal board.

6. A control machine for trafiic governing systems for railroads,comprising, a shelf-type desk, a plurality of like interchangeablecontrol units detachably assembled about the rear edge and the two endsof the desk and supporting said desk, each unit having a support whichoverlaps and is secured to the adjacent unit, each unit having a controlpanel at the front hinged to swing downwardly toward the desk, a relaycabinet mounted in each unit to slide longitudinally out of the back ofthat unit, separate removable covers for the backs of saidunits, andmeans rigidly connecting said units together at the front and the backat points not interfering with the outward movement of the hinged panelsor sliding movement of the relay cabinets.

7. A control machine for traffic governing systems for railroads,comprising, a shelf-type desk, a plurality of like interchangeablecontrol units detachably assembled aboutrthe rear edge and the two endsof the desk and supporting said desk, each unit having a support whichoverlaps and is securedto the adjacent unit, each'unit having a controlpanel at the front hinged to swing downwardly toward the desk, a relaycabinet mounted in each unit to slide longitudinally out of the back ofthat unit, separate removable covers for the backs of said units, andmeans rigidly connecting said units together at the front andrtheback atpoints not interfering with the outward movement of the hinged panels orsliding movement of the relay cabinets, a master unit at one end ,of thedesk and rigidly connected to the control units, electrical connections,between the master unit and each of. the control units.

8. A control machine for trafiic governing systems for railroads,comprising, a shelf-type desk, a plurality of like interchangeablecontrol units detachably assembled about the rear edge and the two endsof the desk and supporting said desk, each unit having a support whichoverlaps and is secured to the adjacent unit, each unit having a controlpanel at the front hinged to swing downwardly toward the desk, a relaycabinet mounted in each unit to slide longitudinally out of the back ofthat unit, separate removable covers for the backs of said units, andmeans rigidly connecting said units together at the front'and the backat the outward movement 'of the hinged panels or sliding movement of therelay cabinets, a master unit at one end of the desk'andrigidlyconnected to the control units, electrical connections between themaster unit and each of the control units, a test unit at the 'end' ofthe desk and rigidly connected to the master unit and having a testpanel parallel with the front edge of the desk, a door covering thetest'panel and pivoted to swing away from the desk, the test panel beingpivoted to swing toward the desk to bring its face parallel with theedge of the desk.

JOSEPH F. MERKEL.

